NEOM OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

PROJECTS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

FLOOR AND WALL OPENINGS

NEOM-NPR-SOP-023.1. Rev 01.00, December 2020

Document history

Revision code Description of changes Purpose of issue Date

01.00 First Issue Issued for Review 07.12.2020

Revision – Inclusion of
02.00 Second Issue 16.12.2020
Construction requirement

Document approval

Prepared by Approved by
Name Michael Wright Osama Wahba

Job Regional Health & Safety Director – Technical

Title Lead - PMC Support

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 Contents
Contents ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Training and Competency ................................................................................................................. 4
3. Requirements.................................................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Roles and Responsibilities ........................................................................................................ 4
3.2 General Requirements ............................................................................................................. 5
3.3 Floor or Wall Penetrations ....................................................................................................... 5

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1. Introduction

(a) This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to all employers within NEOM Projects. This SOP is
designed to incorporate requirements set by NEOM-NPR-GFR. If requirements of this document
conflict with requirements set by another regulatory authority, employers are required to follow
the more stringent requirement.

(b) This SOP describes the minimal requirements for covering floor openings, floor holes, and wall openings.

(c) Specific Definitions

(i) Floor Hole: Any gap or void measuring 300mm or less at its largest dimension, but more than 25mm
at its smallest dimension, in any floor, roof, or platform through which materials, but not persons, may
fall, such as a pipe opening or slot type opening.
(ii) Floor Opening: Any gap or void measuring 300mm or more at its smallest dimension in any roof, floor,
or platform through which a person could fall.
(iii) Hard Barricade: A wooden or metal guarding device, capable of withstanding a 91kg force from any
direction, that is placed around a floor hole or floor opening to keep persons from walking into said
hole or opening during any time the hole or opening cover must be removed.
(iv) Wall Opening: A gap or void at least 760mm high and 450mm wide in any wall or partition through
which persons may fall to a lower level, such as doorways, chute openings, or rigging openings.

2. Training and Competency

(a) Employers shall ensure that OSH training complies with the requirements of:
(i) NEOM-NPR-GFR– MSU 5 – Training, Awareness and Competency;
(ii) NEOM-NPR-GFR– SOP 7.0 – Organisation and Practitioner Registration.

(b) The employer shall conduct additional retraining whenever a periodic inspection reveals, or there is reason
to believe, that there are deviations from or inadequacies in the employee’s knowledge of this procedures.

(c) Employers shall maintain a record of the required training that contains the following
information:
(i) Name and ID number;
(ii) Subject(s) of training;
(iii) Date(s) of training; and
(iv) Person(s) providing the training.

3. Requirements

3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

3.1.1 Employers

(a) Employers shall undertake their roles and responsibilities in accordance with the general
requirements of NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Section 3.2.5.

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 (b) Employers shall undertake their specific roles and responsibilities in accordance with the
following:

(a) The fall protection on the floor and wall openings are appropriately inspected;
(b) The risks from falling objects are appropriately controlled.

3.1.2 Employees

(a) Employees shall undertake their roles and responsibilities in accordance with the general
requirements of NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Section 3.2.7.
(b) Comply with this procedure, client or work location requirements and local legislation.

3.2 General Requirements

(a) Employees creating a floor hole, floor opening, or wall opening must have authorization from
their supervisor.
(b) The supervisor of any employee creating a floor hole, floor opening, or wall opening is
responsible for having the floor hole, floor opening, or wall opening properly covered and will
ensure appropriate physical barricades are in place prior to creating a floor or wall opening or
floor hole.
(c) No material will be stored on any floor covers unless specifically designed for loading and
marked with its safe working load.
(d) Anyone working inside of a barricaded area around a floor opening or wall opening will be
required to wear and use a safety harness attached to a suitably rated anchorage.

3.3 Floor or Wall Penetrations

The following provides requirements for floor and wall opening penetration work:

(a) Floor Holes

(i) All floor holes, as defined, will be covered with 19mm exterior-grade plywood or the equivalent.
In addition, these covers will be secured to prevent them from slipping or being displaced by
personnel traffic. Floor hole covers will extend a minimum of 102mm from the edge of the entire
hole being covered.

(b) Floor Openings

(i) All floor openings 1m or less at their narrowest dimensions are to be covered and secured using
19mm exterior-grade plywood or the equivalent, with bracing nails underneath for all square or
rectangular floor openings. Floor opening covers can run continuously, as long as the width of the
hole is not greater than 1m, over such items as trenches, pipe chases, etc.

(ii) Whenever the narrowest dimension is greater than 1m, the floor opening will be treated as a
temporary floor. In cases where the floor opening is greater than 300mm, but equal to or less than
24 inches 600mm at its narrowest dimension, only one support brace will be required to extend the
entire length of the floor opening cover. All types of floor opening covers will extend a minimum
of 100mm over the edge of the floor opening being covered.

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 (c) Wall Openings

(i) Wall openings will be barricaded with guardrails of metal or wood, and a toe plate will be required
if the wall opening is less than 100mm above the floor or platform level. Wooden guardrails must
be 50mm by 100mm boards or the equivalent. Metal guardrails must be 38mm nominal size
handrail material or larger. The mid-rail can be made of a 25mm 150mm board, or a 50mm by
100mm board, or a 38mm nominal size metal handrail material. The toe board can be made from
a 25mm by 150mm board or a 6mm flat metal plate. These guardrails must be capable of
withstanding a 91kg force from any direction without failing.

(ii) If a wall opening is to be covered, 19mm exterior grade plywood will be used and will be
substantially braced to withstand a 91kg force without failure from any direction.

(iii) Metal plate can be used to cover a wall opening as long as it can withstand a 91kg force without
failure from any direction.

(d) Temporary Flooring

(i) When a floor opening exceeds 1m at its narrowest dimension, it will require temporary flooring of
sufficient strength for the anticipated loads.

(ii) Temporary flooring can be solid 50mm lumber positively secured to prevent displacement from
personnel traffic.

(iii) Temporary flooring can be 19mm exterior-grade plywood provided it is properly supported.

(e) Cover Installation

(i) The carpenters are responsible for installing all wooden covers over holes or openings. In addition,
they will be required to mark all such covers in the following manner:

1. "FLOOR OPENING - DANGER, DO NOT REMOVE."

(f) Cover Removal

(i) If a floor hole, a floor opening, or a wall cover needs to be removed for a short period of time, an
employee can be assigned to guard the area involved in order to keep people away from it. An
employee assigned the duty of guarding such areas will not leave the area at any time and will be
afforded fall protection.

(ii) If a floor hole, etc., cover has to be removed for an extended period of time, a substantial guardrail
must be erected around the opening. The guardrail must be anchored so that it cannot be
accidentally displaced.

(iii) Guardrail systems must be capable of withstanding a 91kg force from any direction without failure.

(iv) Whenever any type of cover listed in this procedure must be removed, the employee or employees
removing it must have authorization from their supervisor. The supervisor will inspect the area
where the cover or covers are to be removed to determine what precautions are warranted.

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 Reference List

Title Reference Section in

NEOM-NPR-GFR – MSU 1 – Roles and Responsibilities Various

NEOM-NPR-GFR– MSU 5 – Training, Awareness and Competency 2

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